Singletary explains final hectic seconds

Coach Mike Singletary addressed the media to talk about the 49ers’ 29-24 loss to the Cardinals last night.

Here is the essence of what he had to say:

–Singletary said there was a lack of communication between the officiating and the sidelines in the final seconds. He thought there should’ve been 12 seconds on the clock after the replay review on Frank Gore’s run.

The 49ers were also working under the impression that they would have the ball at the half-yard line. When referee Tony Corrente made the announcement that the ball would be moved back to the 2 1/2-yard line, the 49ers’ sideline could not hear what Corrente said because of the crowd noise.

Singletary said offensive coordinator Mike Martz made the playcall under the mistaken impression the ball was at the half-yard line. And because the clock was set at :04 and would begin when the ball was ready for play, they did not have time to change the play. Nor did the 49ers want to take the chance on spiking the ball and seeing time run out.

–Said Singletary: “The thing that I was trying to do most of all was to get all the information, which was very difficult to do, and try to get that information to Coach Martz so we could make the best decision possible. It was very difficult getting the information that we needed. I was on the field talking to a couple of the officials about where the ball would be spotted and how much time we’d get back on the clock. . . . And then when I left those two guys (officials), they moved the ball back to the 2 1/2-yard line.”

–Singletary said he thought the clock should’ve re-started at the snap of the ball instead of at the whistle that the ball was ready for play.

He added, “I’ve been told that I should probably go ahead and call the league. But that’s the last thing I want to do right now. I don’t need to hear, ‘Oh, that’s on us.’ I don’t need to hear that. In my mind, because they’re not going to change anything. In my mind, I’m going to let it go and just make sure that as we go forward, we cover things out here (on the practice field) that we need to get covered and make sure we have the right protocol.”

–Singletary added: “The only thing I’d like to have happen as a result of this game, all over the league, is for the officials . . . one official should go to one sideline and one official should come to our sideline and say, ‘This is the scenario. This is what’s happening.’ Because we have no idea. We have no clue what’s going on. The referee is standing out in the middle of the field and says whatever he’s saying, but you can’t hear it on the sideline.”

–Obviously, it was a questionable call to give the ball to Michael Robinson. The play was designed to be run from the half-yard line. Robinson and Frank Gore were going to be in the backfield, and Gore was going to motion to the left, and Robinson was going to get the handoff up the middle.

However, because the clock was starting at the whistle and the ball was moved back, the 49ers scrapped the motion part of the play and had Gore line up outside. The handoff went to Robinson. The 49ers had eight blockers vs. the Cardinals’ 10 players in the box. There was no way that play was going to get 2 1/2 yards.

“It’s very frustrating as you look back on it because Mike Martz made a call, and he would’ve changed that call had he known the ball was going to be moved,” Singletary said.

–As for the 23-second runoff before Shaun Hill could get the team settled enough to spike the ball, Singletary took responsibility, saying, “That is my job.”

There was mass confusion on the sideline. The 49ers started to send a different personnel group on the field, while Hill was being told to spike the ball. However, he could not spike the ball because the 49ers would’ve had too many men on the field and in an illiegal formation.

–Singletary said he had no problem with Martz’s playcalling in the last couple of minutes. He said they were on the same page.

There was some interaction between Singletary and Martz when Singletary decided to kick a field goal, rather than go for it on fourth and short.

“The offensive coordinator always wants to go for it,” Singletary said. “I learned that fairly quickly. Mike is an aggressive guy, and you love him for that. But I knew, and Mike knew that we’re going to kick the field goal.”

–Singletary said he did not get as emotional with Vernon Davis after his penalty on Monday because Davis’ apologetic response when he saw Singletary coming at him on the sideline.

–The 49ers got strong play from the young wideouts. Jason Hill and Josh Morgan were the team’s top receivers. Even Dominique Zeigler made a clutch catch late in the game. Singletary said those guys took advantage of their opportunities.

–However, there is some concern about Morgan’s groin issue. It might be an issue this week for this week’s game against the Rams.

–I pointed out to Singletary that he’s probably experienced more in three weeks as head coach than a lot of coaches experience in three years. How has that affect him and help him?

“It is very exciting, very exhilarating to be in the middle of that,” Singletary said. “At the same time, it’s frustrating, but it’s what I need. I don’t want what I want. I want what I need. That’s what I need. My goal is to be one of the greatest coaches of all time. I need all the help I can get. I need all the fire I can get. And I’m getting it.”